Sensors for robotic devices

• US 6,999,850 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murray Mcdonald
• Original Assignee: Murray Mcdonald
• Inventors: McDonald, Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/467,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/249, 318/567, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/568.17, 318/587, 701/210, 901/1, 901/46, 901/47
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

A robotic device having a body with an upper surface resiliently connected to a lower surface and having a bump sensor including a contact point on the lower surface, which contact pint is in its normal position when centrally located within a sensor device, which is an aperture having a conducting inner periphery, which sensor device is located in the upper surface of the robotic device, so that a bump on the upper surface is detected by the robotic device when the contact point abuts the aperture conducting inner periphery. The robotic device also includes a drop sensor for use in association with the lower surface of the robotic device with the lower surface having a periphery around which a plurality of drop sensors are located, with each drop sensor including a body located therein, a movably vertically oriented member, so that when any such member becomes positioned over a drop in terrain, the vertically oriented member will drop downwardly and trigger the production of a signal which is sensed by the robotic device.

Claims

1. A robotic device, comprising:

a lower surface;

means for producing a signal detectable by said robotic device; and

,

a plurality of drop sensors located around a periphery of said lower surface, each drop sensor of said plurality of drop sensors comprising a body having a vertically oriented member movably located within said body, so that any said vertically oriented member of any said drop sensor of said plurality of drop sensors becomes positioned over a drop in terrain, said vertically oriented will drop downwardly from a first position to a second position to trigger, in said second position, said means for producing a signal detectable by said robotic device.

2. The robotic device according to claim 1, wherein said means for producing a signal detectable by said robotic device is a signal caused via an interruption to a light beam between at least one LED and one LED receptor.

3. The robotic device according to claim 1, wherein said vertically oriented member of each said drop sensor is a rod member.

4. The robotic device according to claim 3, further comprising means for permitting each said rod member to resume its said first position within said drop sensor, means for signalling said robotic device to return to substantially level terrain and means for returning said robotic device to substantially level terrain.

5. The robotic device according to claim 4, wherein said means for returning said robotic device to substantially level terrain comprises a solenoid.

6. The robotic device according to claim 4, wherein said means for returning said robotic device to substantially level terrain comprises a pneumatic device.

7. A robotic device, comprising:

a body having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface being resiliently connected to said lower surface and having a bump sensor with a contact point on said lower surface;

a first sensor device located in said upper surface and being an aperture having a conducting inner periphery, with said contact point of said bump sensor being in a normal position centrally located within said first sensor device, so that a bump on said upper surface is detectable by said robotic device when said contact point of said bump sensor abuts said conducting inner periphery of the aperture of said first sensor device;

means for producing a signal detectable by said robotic device; and

,

a second sensor device comprising a plurality of drop sensors located around a periphery of said lower surface, each drop sensor of said plurality of drop sensors comprising a body having a vertically oriented member movably located within said body, so that any said vertically oriented member of any said drop sensor of said plurality of drop sensors becomes positioned over a drop in terrain, said vertically oriented will drop downwardly from a first position to a second position to trigger, in said second position, said means for producing a signal detectable by said robotic device.

8. The robotic device according to claim 7, further comprising means for generating an electrical signal when said contact point touches said first sensor device for detecting a bump on said upper surface.

9. The robotic device according to claim 7, wherein said conducting inner periphery of said first sensor device includes a plurality of contact points for determining a location of a bump against said robotic device.

10. The robotic device according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of contact points is a plurality of switch segments.

11. The robotic device according to claim 7, further comprising means for moving said upper surface relative to said lower surface.

12. The robotic device according to claim 7, wherein said upper surface is a first plate resting on a plurality of ball transfers affixed to a second plate comprising said lower surface.

13. The robotic device according to claim 12, wherein said first plate is movable relative to said second plate by a distance equal to any difference in radius of said first plate and of said second plate.

14. The robotic device according to claim 7, further comprising a housing having a greater diameter than said lower surface with, at least, said upper surface being located within said housing.

15. The robotic device according to claim 7, further comprising a drive mechanism having means for locomotion, with said lower surface being attached to said drive mechanism and able to move via said means for locomotion.